<p>Hi, I wanted to know which of these econ courses you would recommend. At Calso it seemed like the counselor was really talking me and other students out of taking 101A saying its going to be too hard and that its usually for people who want the PHd in econ. I'd like to do I-banking and want to do econ with a strong math background. What would you all recommend? Is Econ 101A really that hard?</p>
<p>The counselor is right in the sense that it is true that 101A is far more quantitative than 100A. However, I don't think that that fact by itself should necessarily dissuade you. It depends on the way you think. Some people are able to think in a quantitative and abstract way. In 100A, you are just forced to learn and memorize certain formulas, with no regard as to why those formulas are true. In 101A, you actually derive those formulas from first principles. Hence, if you are able to handle the math, then you don't have to waste a lot of time trying to memorize all these stupid random formulas because you will just be able to derive them as necessary. </p>
<p>On the other hand, if you don't have that kind of mathematical strength, then yes, 100A is probably better for you.</p>
<p>I would like to go onto graduate school later in life, would 101A help out more in that case?</p>
<p>101A will help you out more for the purposes of economics grad-school.</p>